Thermally controlled door-checks



y 14, 1963 o. F. THOMPSON 3,089,568

THERMALLY CONTROLLED DOOR-CHECKS Filed Nov. 16, 1959 United States3,08%568 THERMALLY CONTRULLED DDUR-QHECKS Oliver E. Thompson, 6867Ottawa Ave., Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 853,090 4-Claims. {(Jl. res-4s The present invention relates to thermallycontrolled door-checks.

In school or other public buildings it is the usual practree of keepingdoors leading from staircases to halls and corridors open, so as toprevent constant opening and closing of the doors and the resultingbanging thereof. This practice is continued even in cases where doorsare provided with suitable door-checks for normally keeping doors shut.Often wood wedges or the like are inserted between the floor and thelower edge of the door so as to keep the door open against the action ofa doorcheck.

The expediency which obliges the doors to be kept open is fraught withdanger because in the event of fire in any portion of a building theopen door permits the flow of air currents from the staircase into thehalls and corridors, thereby enhancing spreading of fire.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is the provision ofsuitable means, in association with the door and the cooperatingdoor-check, for rendering the latter inoperative when the door remainsin an open position, and which means in turn would become inoperativefor reestablishing normal operation of a door-check to close the doorwhenever fire occurs in the vicinity of the door.

Another object of the present invention is the provision, in associationwith a door-check actuating arm, and its cooperating door-connectingarm, of means connected therewith and alternately engageable with anddisengag able from the door, which means, when disengaged from the door,may be capable of permitting normal operation of the door-check forclosing the door, and which means, when engaged with the door, may becapable of rendering the door-check inoperative for maintaining the doorin an open position, and which means, due to influence of increasedtemperature due to fire in the vicinity of the door, may be capable ofinstantaneous and automatic operation for severing its connectionbetween said arms and the door for reestablishing the normal operationof the door-check for closing the door.

Another object of the present invention is the provision, in associationwith a door-check actuating arm and the cooperating door-connecting arm,of a connecting member engageable with said arms and the door, wherebythe door-check may be rendered inoperative for maintaining the dooropen, which said connecting member may include a portion made of fusiblemetal capable of melting by the increased temperature engendered by firein the vicinity of the door for severing said connecting member forthereby reestablishing normal operation of the door-check forinstantaneously and automatically closing the door.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of mostsimple means whereby the said connecting member may be readilyconnectable with the said door-check actuating arm, the door-connectingarm and the door, without making any extensive structural changes in thedoor-check or the appurtenances thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is to generally improveand simplify the existing devices of the character hereinaboveindicated.

With the above general objects in View and others that will appear asthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, il-

lustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application, and in which likedesignating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a door frame, the door-check supportedtherewithin, with the door shut, showing the door-check and its parts intheir operative position;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the parts hereinabove mentioned,illustrating the door-check in its operative position with the doorshut, the view having been taken upon a plane indicated by line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a similar view to that of FIG. 2, illustrating the door in anopen position, with the door-check rendered inoperative by the aid ofthe present device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of a joint between thedoor-check actuating arm and the doorconnecting arm, illustrating themeans for connecting therewith one end of the connecting member forrendering the door-check inoperative, as in FIG. 3, for maintaining thedoor in an open position against the action of the door-check, the viewhaving been taken upon a plane indicated by line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

PEG. 5 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of the connectingmeans between one end of said connecting member and the said joint.

Referring in detail to the present drawing, there is shown therein wallIt} provided with an opening, within which a door frame, including anupper horizontal bar 11 and a vertical bar 12, is located.

The said opening constitutes a passage either from one room to another,or from a staircase to an adjacent corridor or hall. The said opening iscapable of being closed by door 13, which by one of its side edges issuspended by a plurality of leaf hinges 14 affixcd to the door and oneof the vertical frame bars 12, whereby door 13 may angularly swing fromor to the alternate shut or open positions.

Bracket plate 15, by one of its ends is located within a corner definedby the adjacent ends of the horizontal frame bar '11 and the verticalframe bar 12. Said bracket plate, upon its two edges along the bisectingplanes, is provided with reduced ears 16 for receiving therethroughscrews 17 which engage the said horizontal bar 11 and the vertical bar12, for rigidly supporting the said bracket plate 15 within the cornerof the door frame, as clearly seen in FIG. 1.

The opposite end of said bracket plate 15 is in a spaced relation withthe upper edge of door 13 and the upper horizontal frame .bar 11, andhas supporting plate 18 rigidly afiixed thereto by means of plurality fscrews 19. Rigidly formed with said supporting plate 18, and extendingtherefrom in a central relation in the direction away from door 13 isblock 20 for supporting thereon spring casing 21, and a downwardlydepending therefrom hydraulic casing 22.

Said spring casing 21 encloses a wound spring 23, which is shown bydotted lines in FIG. 2. Said spring 23 by its outer end is rigidlyengaged with the side Wall of said spring casing 21 on the innerperiphery thereof, and by its inwardly located end rigidly engages shaft24, which is positioned in a vertical central relation with said casing21 for a rotary shifting movement in either direction when actuated bysaid spring. 23.

In FIG. 1 said spring casing 21 is broken away along its side Wall,showing in vertical cross section a plurality of the convolutions ofsaid spring 23, with the innermost of which said shaft 24 remains in anoperative association.

In a rigid association with the upper end of said spring casing 21, andcentrally thereof, there is an upwardly extending annular block 25,through which the upper end of said shaft 24 is extended, and whichfunctions as an upper bearing for the latter.

One end of the actuating arm 25 is rigidly engaged with the upper end ofsaid shaft 24, by virtue of which arrangement said actuating arm 26 iscapable of angular SWinging motions o-n horizontal plane in eitherdirection when under the actuation of said shaft 24, to alternatelyassume a door-shut position shown in FIG. 2, or a door-open position,illustrated in PEG. 3.

The opposite end of said actuating arm is provided with an enlarged eye27, for the purpose hereinafter stated.

Casing 22 encloses a hydraulically operable mechanism for the purpose ofeasing the angular shifting movement of the actuating arm 26 in eitherdirection, for thereby preventing slamming of the door when the latteris brought to its shut position illustrated in FIG. 2, or for retardingsudden opening of the door when the latter is brought to its openposition shown in FIG. 3.

Cooperating with said actuating arm 26 is a door-connecting arm 28,which is adapted for angular shifting movement upon a plane in asuperimposed relation with the plane upon which said actuating arm 26shifts. One end of said door-connecting arm 28 is provided with eye 29,which remains in a vertically alined relation with eye 27, with the twoeyes receiving pin 39, by means of which said arms 26 and 28 arehingedly or pivotally interconnected.

The opposite end of said connecting arm 28 is positioned between a pairof horizontal leaves 31 and pivoted upon pin 32 which is passed throughsaid leaves 31 and the end of said door-connecting arm 28.

Said leaves 31 are integrally formed with bracket 33, which is affixedto the adjacent face of door 13 by means of screws 34. The position ofsaid bracket 33 is of course related to the length of the saiddoor-connecting arm 23, and this in turn is related to the requiredangularity of the door when in an open position with respect to the dooropening, as well as to the required positioning of the door-connectingmember which will be hereinafter described.

The above substantially describes a conventional doorcheck, supportingmeans therefor within a door frame, and its connecting means with thedoor, and the drawing illustrates the positions of the various parts ofthe doorcheck during the shut and open positions of the door.

'My invention, best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, consists of means forinterconnecting the door-check with the door when the latter remains inan open position so as to render the door-check inoperative, that isincapable of shutting of the door, unless manually disconnected from thedoor, or unless, in case of fire in the vicinity of the door andconsequent increase of temperature thereabout the said means itself isrendered inoperative due to the increased temperature, whereby theoperation of the doorcheck is instantaneously and automaticallyreestablished so as to shut the door.

The means aforesaid, which will be presently described, requires nomodification in the mechanism of the doorcheck hereinabove described,except in pin which forms a pivot for the joint defined by eyes 27 and29 in arms 26 and 28, respectively. Namely, the lower end of said pin39, as shown in FIG. 4, is lengthened to define stub 35, which extendsbelow the lower end of eye 27. Dowel pin 36, or the like, may beextended through said stub 35 for preventing the dislocation of theadjacent end of the door-check actuating arm 26 from said pin 30. Oneend of chain 37 is in any suitable manner, such as by hook or the like,connected with said stub 35.

Adjacent the opposite end of said chain 37, one or more links thereofare substituted by plate 38, which is made of a fusible metal. Hook 3%,connected with the adjacent outer end of said plate 36 is engaged witheye 46 which is aflixed to door 13, adjacent its edge which is proximateto the vertical frame bar 12 with which hinges 14 are connected.

The modification shown in FIG. 5 contemplates the provision of a balland socket connection, carried by the lower end of pin 30, with whichthe door-connecting member may be connected. This connection includes asocket member 41 depending from and in any suitable manner aflixable tothe lower end of pin 30. Rod 42 is provided at its end with ball 43receivable within the socket member 41. Connected to the opposite end ofsaid rod 42 is an S-shaped hook 44, with which fusible plate 45 isconnected. A like hook 46 connects with the opposite end of said plate45, and is capable of engaging eye 40. Whether the door-connectingmember shown in FIG. 4 or that illustrated in FIG. 5 is employed, ineither case one or the other fusible plate 38 or 45 is subject tomelting due to increased temperature engendered by fire taking place inthe vicinity of the door. Depending upon the composition of the fusiblemetal employed in plates 38 or 47, either one is capable of melting at acomparatively low temperature, even at a temperature as low as degrees.

From the hereinabove description it will therefore be seen that eitherplate 38 or 45 defines an insert, intermediately of the ends of theconnecting members 37-39 and 42-46, respectively, which, when melted, iscapable of severing one or the other of said connecting members, therebyreconditioning the operation of spring 23 for shifting arms 26 and 28 totheir acute-angled relative position, shown in FIG. 2, for therebyswinging door 13 to the closed position with relation to frame 12.

It is noted that either one of said connecting members, in FIG. 4 or inFIG. 5, when engaged through hook 39 or hook 46, respectively, with eye40, renders spring 23 inoperative for angularly shifting arm 26 from itsposition shown in FIG. 3, to its acute-angled position with relation toarm 23, shown in FIG. 2. The inability of spring 23 to operate in orderto angularly shift arms 26 and 28 from their obtuse-angled or right-linerelative position, shown in FIG. 3, to their acute-angled relativeposition shown in FIG. 2, results from the fact that the said connectingmember remains in a transverse relative position with arm 26, therebypreventing the angular shifting thereof from its position in FIG. 3 toits position in FIG. 2. When the said connecting member remains in itsoperative position shown in FIG. 3, arm 26 will be rendered inoperativefor exerting a pulling action upon arm 28 for closing door 13. Itrequires severing of the connecting member, due to the melting of one orthe other of said fusible plates 33 or 45, as the case may be, in orderto release the hold upon arm 26 and thereby for reconditioning theoperation of spring 23 in order to close the door.

Depending upon the length of arm 28, and the dis tance at which theconnecting point 32 is located with relation to the edge of the door atwhich hinges 14 are connected, arms 26 and 28 are capable of assuming agreat range of mutual angular positions when the door is in an openrelation with the frame, shown in FIG. 3, commencing with asubstantially right angle position and ending with an obtuse-angledposition as seen in FIG. 3. It is therefore to be understood that whenreference is made to a substantially right-angle position of arms 26 and28 such position will include obtuse-angled position, and conversely byan obtuse-angled position will also be understood as including the rightangle position.

For the eificient operation of the said connecting member, either thatof FIG. 4 or of FIG. 5, the one or the other, in its operative positionshould preferably remain in a substantially perpendicular relation withdoor 13, as is seen in FIG. 3.

While the drawing presupposes the door-check as being connected withframe 12 through bracket plate 15, with arm 28 as being connected withthe door at point 32, and the connecting member as being connected withthe door at point 40, it is to be understood however that the deviceherein disclosed will equally well operate when the door-check isconnected with door 13. In that latter case the connecting points 32 and40 should be upon frame 12. Such change requires merely reversal ofpositions of the several parts relative to the door and the door frame.

To recondition the door-check and the door for normal operation, allthat is required to be done is to disconnect chain 37, or the ball andsocket connection 4143, as the case may be, from pin 30, or in thealternative hook 39 or hook 46, as the case may be, from eye 40.

For the purpose of accommodating eye 40 within the bracket plate 15 inthe event the latter is in a too close proximity to door 13 when thelatter remains in a closed position, opening 47 is made in the saidbracket plate 15, into which opening said eye 40 is capable of falling,when the door is brought to a shut position by the doorcheck, as isindicated by FIG. 1. Obviously, said opening 47 and eye 40 should be inalinement so that bracket plate 15 may not obstruct said eye 40.

From the hereinabove description it will be apparent that the connectingmember aforesaid, shown either in FIG. 4 or in FIG. 5, may be easilyconnected with doorchecks now in operation with doors.

Adapting of the said connecting member for use with the existingdoor-checks, no structural alterations are required in the latter. Allthat is required to be done is the lengthening of pivot pin 30 so thatthe depending stub 35 may extend past the joint forward by said pin 30at the ends of arms 26 and 28, in order that said stub 35 may be engagedwith chain 37 or the socket and ball connection 4143, as the case maybe, and of course connecting eye 40 with the door, to receive thedisengageable connection for the opposite end of the con necting memberthrough hooks 39 or 46, as the case may be.

It is also observed that although the eye 40 is preferably engaged withdoor 13 adjacent the edge thereof at which hinges 14 are located, thepossibility of having said eye 40 engaged with frame 12, or for thatmatter with any object outside of the door or its frame, is notexcluded, provided that said eye 40- may constitute a fixed andimmovable point with relation to pin 30, and located at a point whichwould maintain the said connecting member, when in an operativeposition, substantially in a transverse relation with arm 26 so as toprevent the angular shifting movement thereof in the direction whichwould tend to shift said arm 26 to its acuteangled position withrelation to arm 28, shown in FIG. 2.

Fire originating in the environs of door 13 or frame 12, and theresulting increased temperature thereabout, to a degree capable ofmelting the fusible metal of which either plate 38 or 45 is made, willbring about severance in the corresponding connecting member, renderingthe latter inoperative, for thereby releasing the hold upon arm 26,reconditioning the operation of spring 23-, and thereby bringing door 13to its closed position with relation to the door frame 12, as seen inFIG. 2.

While there is described herein a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may bemade therein without depatring from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a door closing device for urging a door to a closed position witha door frame, a pair of arms, a vertical pivot pin interconnecting theadjacent ends of said arms, the opposite end of one of said arms beingpivotally connected to the door, the opposite end of the other of saidarms being pivotally connected to the door frame, said arms assuming asubstantially right-angle position when the door remains in an openposition relative to the door frame, tensioning means in associationwith one of said arms for inducing relative angular shifting motion tosaid arms for bringing the latter to a substantially acuteangled mutualrelation for thereby swinging the door to a closed relation with respectto the frame, an oblong connecting member, means for engaging one end ofsaid connecting member with the lower end of said pivot pin, said oblongconnecting member terminating in an opposite end fixedly carrying aterminal, disengageable connecting device for disengageably connectingthe said opposite end of the oblong member to a fixed connecting memberlocated at a point which is in spaced distanced relation with said pivotpin, said device being spaced from contact with said arms, said meansfor engaging one end of said connecting member with the lower end ofsaid pivot pin and said device both supporting said oblong connectingmember upon a plane disposed below the plane upon which said arms shiftand in a substantially transverse relation with one of said arms withwhich said tensioning means is associated for rendering said tensioningmeans inoperative for maintaining said arms in a substantiallyright-angle position for thereby maintaing the door in a fixed openposition relative to the door frame, and an insert of fusible metalintermcdiately of the ends of said oblong connecting member, said insertbeing capable of melting by an increased temperature resulting from firein the vicinity of the door for thereby severing said oblong connectingmember for reconditioning the operation of said tensioning means forshifting said arms to a substantially acute-angled mutual relation forthereby bringing the door to a closed relation with respect to the doorframe, the severed parts of the oblong member being maintained by saidpin and the cooperable relation of said connecting device and saidconnecting member in positions which are out of the planes of movementof the door and the arms to thereby prevent said severed parts frominterfering with automatic closing of the door.

2. A thermally influenced door closing device for induc ing closing of adoor with relation to a cooperating door frame, comprising a pair ofarms, a joint formed by the adjacent one ends of said arms whereby thelatter being capable of a mutual angular swinging motions foralternately assuming a substantially right-angle position when the doorremains in an open relation with the door frame or a substantiallyacute-angled mutual relation when the door remains in a closed positionwith respect to the door frame, said joint including a verticallydisposed pivot pin, the lower end of said pin being extended past saidarms for defining a downwardly depending stub, the opposite end of oneof said anms being pivotally connected to the door, the opposite end ofthe other of said arms being pivotally connected to the door frame,tensioning means for normally urging said arms from a substantiallyrightangle position to a substantially acute-angled mutual relation forthereby swinging the door from its open to a closed position withrespect to the door frame, an oblong connecting member engageable by oneof its ends with said stub when said arms remain in a substantiallyrightangle position, the opposite end of said connecting member fixedlycarrying a terminal disengageable connecting device for disengageablyconnecting the said opposite end of the oblong member to a fixedconnecting member which is located at a point which is spaced anddistanced from said stub, said stub, and said connecting device when inengagement with said fixed connecting member, being adapted to supportsaid oblong connecting member upon a plane disposed below the plane uponwhich said arms are positioned, said device and said connecting memberbeing capable of supporting said oblong connecting member in asubstantially transverse relation with said arms when the latter remainin a substantially right-angled mutual position for thereby renderingsaid tensioning means inoperative for thereby maintaining the door in afixed opened position with respect to the door frame, and an insert offusible metal intermediately of the ends of said oblong connectingmember, said insert being capable of melting by an increased temperatureresulting from fire in the vicinity of the door for thereby severingsaid ohlong connecting member fcr reconditioning the operation of saidtensioning means for shifting said arms to a substantially acute-angledmutual relation for thereby automatically bringing the door to a. closedposition with respect to the door frame, the severed parts of the oblongmember being maintained by said stub and the cooperative relation ofsaid connecting device and said connecting member in positions which areout of the planes of movement of the door and the arms to therebyprevent said severed parts from interfering with automatic closing ofthe door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,257,301 Ball Feb. 26, 1918 1,278,465 Henry Sept. 10, 1918 1,319,173Norton Oct. 21, 1919 2,056,876 Williams Oct. 6, 1936 2,329,476Livingston Sept. 14, 1943

1. IN A DOOR CLOSING DEVICE FOR URGING A DOOR TO A CLOSED POSITION WITHA DOOR FRAME, A PAIR OF ARMS, A VERTICAL PIVOT PIN INTERCONNECTING THEADJACENT ENDS OF SAID ARMS, THE OPPOSITE END OF ONE OF SAID ARMS BEINGPIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE DOOR, THE OPPOSITE END OF THE OTHER OF SAIDARMS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE DOOR FRAME, SAID ARMS ASSUMING ASUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT-ANGLE POSITION WHEN THE DOOR REMAINS IN AN OPENPOSITION RELATIVE TO THE DOOR FRAME, TENSIONING MEANS IN ASSOCIATION,WITH ONE OF SAID ARMS FOR INDUCING RELATIVE ANGULAR SHIFTING MOTION TOSAID ARMS FOR BRINGING THE LATTER TO A SUBSTANTIALLY ACUTEANGLED MUTUALRELATION FOR THEREBY SWINGING THE DOOR TO A CLOSED RELATION WITH RESPECTTO THE FRAME, AN OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER, MEANS FOR ENGAGING ONE END OFSAID CONNECTING MEMBER WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID PIVOT PIN, SAID OBLONGCONNECTING MEMBER TERMINATING IN AN OPPOSITE END FIXEDLY CARRYING ATERMINAL DISENGAGEABLE CONNECTING DEVICE FOR DISENGAGEABLY CONNECTINGTHE SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE OBLONG MEMBER TO A FIXED CONNECTING MEMBERLOCATED AT A POINT WHICH IS IN SPACED DISTANCED RELATION WITH SAID PIVOTPIN, SASID DEVICE BEING SPACED FROM CONTACT WITH SAID ARMS, SAID MEANSFOR ENGAGING ONE END OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER WITH THE LOWER END OFSAID PIVOT PIN AND SAID DEVICE BOTH SUPPORTING SAID OBLONG CONNECTINGMEMBER UPON A PLANE DISPOSED BELOW THE PLANE UPON WHICH SAID ARMS SHIFTAND IN A SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE RELATION WITH ONE, OF SAID ARMS WITHWHICH SAID TENSIONING MEANS IS ASSOCIATED FOR RENDERING SAID TENSIONINGMEANS INOPERATIVE FOR MAINTAINING SAID ARMS IN A SUBSTANTIALLYRIGHT-ANGLE POSITION FOR THEREBY MAINTAINING THE DOOR IN A FIXED OPENPOSITION RELATIVE TO THE DOOR FRAME, AND AND INSERT OF FUSIBLE METALINTERMEDIATELY OF THE ENDS OF SAID OBLONG CONNECTING MEMBER, SAID INSERTBEING CAPABLE OF MELTING BY AN INCREASED TEMPERATURE RESULTING FROM FIREIN THE VICINITY OF THE DOOR FOR THEREBY SEVERING SAID OBLONG CONNECTINGMEMBER FOR RECONDITIONING THE OPERATION OF SAID TENSIONING MEANS FORSHIFTING SAID ARMS TO A SUBTANTIALLY ACUTE-ANGLED MUTUAL RELATION FORTHEREBY BRINGING THE DOOR TO A CLOSED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DOORFRAME, THE SEVERED PARTS OF THE OBLONG MEMBER BEING MAINTAINED BY SAIDPIN AND THE COOPERABLE RELATION OF SAID CONNECTING DEVICE AND SAIDCONNECTING MEMBER IN POSITIONS WHICH ARE OUT OF THE PLANES OF MOVEMENTOF THE DOOR AND THE ARMS TO THEREBY PREVENT SAID SEVERED PARTS FROMINTERFERING WITH AUTOMATIC CLOSING OF THE DOOR.